i know this is a stupid question but, if term for twins is 36 when are they considered overdue?

[Chula13]

Thanks =)

[ShanaV]

Well, 36 weeks is usually the goal to make it to b/c so many twin pregnancies end early. It's not "term," but just, it's best if they can make it that far along. Some women will carry to 37+ weeks, so the babies are in fact full term. But many don't make it anywhere near that far along. Overdue would be measured the same as any pregnancy.

[Spring Lily]

36 is good goal, but 38 is considered term for twins because they often come around then. However, 40 still happens often and some women go over 40 with twins!

[Red Pajama]

I'll agree with the others and say that while 36 weeks might be a goal, it's by no means term. My boys came at 38 weeks, and they didn't have trouble, but they were very different from my singleton, born at 40 weeks.

[Chula13]

Thank you ladies obviously i was given some incorrect information i appreciate you ladies setting me straight =)

[JenChaffee]

I think that the information you receive often depends on your doctor. My first set of doctors told me that 36 was term and they were not going to allow me to carry them beyond 37. I switched doctors. The new group told me that it was the goal to make it to 38. By 36, they started acting very strangely. I think they were not accustomed to twin mamas carrying their babies that long. They seemed happy that all was healthy, but after that point they seemed reluctant to let me leave after each appt. I was sensing a bit of disbelief.

At 40 wks, my HB MW offered to break my water. By 41 weeks, we decided to let her because I was so uncomfortable. I had tried castor oil, chiropractic, raspberry leaf tea, accupuncture, to no avail. I immediately went into labor once my water was broken. My babies were very healthy. So many people had insisted that twins could be damaged by being "overdue". Mine were fine.

[turnquia]

I've heard that current research is "full term" is considered at 38 weeks. (similar to 40 with a singleton) and that 40 weeks is equivalent to 42 weeks with a singleton.

That said the research for that study is still on going, and even many docs are skeptical of it. My doc said he'd let me go as long as I want, but it would probably be me asking for induction vs them pushing it.

[fruitfulmomma]

This is a cool video which shows several sets of twins going to 40 weeks...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E-wULAaD50

[Chula13]

Thanks ladies I was mostly concerned because the creepy Perinatologist said that i shouldn't go passed 37 but he was such an idiot anyway down to mispronouncing the different types of twins I don"t know why I even let him get in my head like that. My midwife doesn't seem concerned at all by length of gestation other than them making it till the point that they are healthy enough to be born.

[~Adorkable~]

Twin Fetal " demise" risk increase after 38weeks?

Does anyone have good links about the truth or bull regarding fetal demise after 38 weeks? The doc I last saw said they induce after 38 weeks because of an increased risk of this. Though he also said that he almost never sees it get to this. He was pretty nice and not pushy and hopefully I will never be in the hands of the hospital anyway, but I wanted to do some reading and be informed and armed with medical research if and when it comes up again.

[turnquia]

Originally Posted by •Adorkable•

Does anyone have good links about the truth or bull regarding fetal demise after 38 weeks? The doc I last saw said they induce after 38 weeks because of an increased risk of this. Though he also said that he almost never sees it get to this. He was pretty nice and not pushy and hopefully I will never be in the hands of the hospital anyway, but I wanted to do some reading and be informed and armed with medical research if and when it comes up again.

This is what I was refering to earlier when I posted. Its research that is done by the woman who wrote the twin nutrition book. I cannot remember her name for the life of me.

But the fetal demise rates in her study after 38 weeks with twins was comparable to the rates after 40 weeks with a singleton. And so when your at 40 weeks with twins its similar to that at 42 weeks of a singleton.

That said I'm not sure I'd deliver early for it, but would take steps for additional monitoring and deliver if anything suggests they aren't doing well.

[~Adorkable~]

Her name is barbra Luke if it's the one think your talking about, and I have heard a lot of folks say that here data or conclusions are faulty, so i was wondering what data those folks have to back that up. In general I feel like I can trust her book, she seems to have a pretty good method for her studies.
But in the case of how you put it, do singletons really have an increased fetal demise after 40 weeks? Or does not really become a concern till after 42, so that would translate to twins having real risk only after 40?

[medicinemansgirl]

I found in our 1st twin pregnancy that the medical profession typically makes you think that 36/37 is "term" depending on the dr and 38 is max. Not many will let any moms go past this. However, I went to 39 wks 4 days with our 1st set and am now at 39 wks 5 days with our 2nd set and no signs of labor anywhere in sight. I talked to some midwives yesterday that had 3 moms in the last month go to 41 wks with twins. I found that most that go to true 40 wk term have babies within the 40th week and a few go a few days into the 41st week. The more I actually really read and asked around, especially in the home birthing world, the more I have discovered that it is actually fairly "common" for twin pregnancies to go to 40/41 weeks. I think many more would if dr's didn't interfere so most of the time you will find the ones that did go that long in the home birthing realm or supervised under the care of hospital midwives. I have no doubt that based on the way I am feeling today I will see my 40 week due date on Thurs still VERY pregnant.

[mylilmonkeys]

I am very curious to see when these babies will be born. I have gone past 40 weeks with all of mine, except number 1 was induced on his due date. My shortest went a few days after 40, but several of mine have gone to 42. With that history, I'm a little worried I will go way past 40, just because of the uncomfortability of that! We are contemplating inducing at the end via natural means or rupturing the bag, but not until I am dialated at least 3-4 cms, and primarily because of my location and weather related concerns, so I can have the peace of mind of an attended birth. Even the OB I talked to doesn't consider twins term until between 37 and 40 weeks. I am aware of a patient of hers last year who went past 40 weeks with twins that shared the outer sac.

[medicinemansgirl]

I, too, have gone past my 40 wk EDD with all of mine except #1, which was 1 day early and #8, which was 5 days early and then our twins, which were 3 days early. But it honestly felt like I was 3 wks late with the twins since I'd been fed the entire pregnancy that 36/37 is term and that I'd never in my life go over....that'd I'd be lucky if I ever made it that far. LOL! #8 was the shock of a lifetime. I lived in complete denial thinking there was no way it could possibly be real labor. In my head I still had 10 more days to go. I typically go 5 days late, with the earliest late baby being 2 days late.

So, we'll see with these babies. Should be interesting. Sometimes I wdoner how long I would've gone had we not "helped" it along with our 1st set. I was at a 4 so the dr went ahead and stripped my membranes to see if that might really kick into gear. Contractions were painless and inconsistent all day and by the time we got to the hospital that night I was at a 7! Had he not stripped my membranes I'm not sure how far I would've gone...maybe another few days?? Once he broke A's water when we arrived at the hospital they were born only minutes later.

[cdahlgrd]

Actually some OB's consider identical twins Due at 36 weeks and overdue at 38. About drives a woman crazy because those babies aren't ready to be born at 36 weeks just because they are a matched pair! I had a rip roaring fight with my OB about this. Her response, "We have a NICU down the hall if there are any problems."

[mauri456]

my twins were born at 39.6 weeks. we did help things along some, but i also had high blood pressure. to me they looked totally cooked - they did have that dry skin that they get the further they go along.

my ob has let twins go past 40 weeks, but he did say he gets a little worried after 40 weeks. he also did want to monitor twice a week after 38 weeks.